


Bad Blood

by scarslikeconstxllations



Series: The Venom/Spiderman Collection [4]
Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Aged-Up Characters, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Anne Weying - Freeform, Canon Divergence, Character Death (non-major), College/University, Dan Lewis - Freeform, Eddie Brock - Freeform, F/M, Gay Romance, Infinity War never happened, M/M, May become NSFW, Michelle (Homecoming) - Freeform, Multi, Multi-ships, Ned (Homecoming) - Freeform, Original female villain - Freeform, PG-13, Peter Parker - Freeform, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Serial killer villain, Slow Burn, Spider-Man - Freeform, Steamy Kissing, Thanos who?, Venom (2018) - Freeform, Venom Symbiote - Freeform, Violence, age-gap, blood/gore, leave if you don't like threesomes, lots of gay, may parker - Freeform, tony stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-13 00:40:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16882344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarslikeconstxllations/pseuds/scarslikeconstxllations
Summary: When Eddie Brock temporarily moves back to NYC to follow a story on a string of recent murders, he doesn't expect to catch the attention of not only Peter Parker, a sweet college nerd, but the infamous Spider-Man.When Peter Parker begins tracking down a serial killer, he doesn't expect to meet the Demon of San Francisco in NYC.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is calm along the streets of New York. Except the hit-and-run happening on Holly Street, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Hello friends! If you’re a returning reader, welcome back. If you’re a new reader, it’s nice to see a fresh face here. I promise I’ll continue to work on my old pieces but for now, I’ve really been excited to start a series using Eddie/Venom and Spider-Man. (I know I haven’t hyphened the name before but I decided to start so my autocorrect doesn’t go wild). Finals week starts tomorrow but I wanted to get this teaser out because I’ll be on break in a week and able to write more. I hope you enjoy and decide to follow this story! <3 Please pay attention to the tags for this and any warnings I add!
> 
> Important: This story mixes background elements from Sony's Amazing Spider-Man universe with main plot elements from the aftermath of Homecoming. I imagine Peter as Tom Holland, and you are free to imagine he and Eddie as anything you wish. Peter is aged up and Eddie is aged down so don't get your panties in a twist.
> 
> Also Important: The phrase, "the Demon of San Francisco" was taken from San Francisco's forgotten Jack the Ripper copy-cat, "the Demon of Belfry."
> 
> Warnings: blood/gore, original female villain appearance

The city was silent and the night was cold.

She crouched on the rooftop of an old factory building, scouting her target. Her hands shook behind the black gloves she wore, but not from the cold. Adrenaline pumped steadily through her veins, feeding her system its intoxicating poison. Her breath left her in short puffs. The mask she wore covered all but her lips and left slits for her eyes to look through. All that remained to see were her cold, grey eyes and a sinister smirk of twisted black lips.

Somewhere in the distance, a dove cooed. The wind rustled through the trees, moaning a soft lullaby. She could hear it all, her sharp hearing picking up on the crunch of tires across gravel. A wicked smile came upon her face as she narrowed her eyes. Her target was getting out of the car, and she would need one clean shot to complete her goal. Kneeling along the edge of the roof, she lifted the bow. Stringing an arrow along it and closing one eye, she focused on the man leaving the vehicle and let the energy flow through her. The tip of the arrow sparked as electricity danced along it. She didn’t usually require a vessel, but it helped with precision in situations like these.

As the man turned to look in her direction, she let the arrow fly. It whizzed through the air with a nearly silent hiss, hitting the man square in the chest. He gasped, blood spurting out of his mouth instantly. But the worst was yet to come. He staggered backwards and hit the brick wall behind him, sinking down along it. 

She watched with fire dancing in her eyes as he struggled. Using the chilly night air to lift her feet off the ground, she landed in front of him in a crouched position. 

“What’s the matter, dear? Are you hurt?” she asked mockingly. She slowly walked forward like a wild cat stalking its prey. This time, she was going in for the kill. Her hand grasped his chin. “You have about thirty seconds to tell me what you know about the Mantra fire of 2016 before every cell in your body fries,” she spat. “If you’re quick enough I might just let you live.”

“P-Please,” the man choked out, fear present on his wrinkled features. “I-I don’t know w-what you’re talking ab-bout.” 

Her sharp nails tightened on his face, leaving crescent-shaped marks. But she didn’t have to worry about leaving fingerprints. Her DNA was altered when she was in this form. 

“Lies,” she seethed, “you _reek_ of them. And for that, you will pay.”

As she stood, the final effects of the arrow kicked in. The man screamed in agony as the electricity fried every cell in his body. She clenched her fists, delighting in his screams of pain. She stayed until the light left his eyes, satisfaction dancing in her own. Blowing the corpse a kiss, she pulled out her tablet and checked the list. 

One down, many more to go.

*** * ***

_“All units report to Holly Street as soon as possible. An unidentified corpse was found last night by a jogger.”_

The message was repeated again and again over the intercom. Jonathan grabbed his radio and clipped it onto his shirt. “Copy that,” he spoke into his receiver, heading to the elevators. 

The city of New York was no stranger to violent crimes. Bodies were constantly being turned up and identified. The number of unsolved cases was only rising. But what the police department in Queens wasn’t prepared for was more inhuman murders.

“Here’s to hoping it’s a normal murder,” Steve, another man on the team grunted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jonathan asked.

“You know, none of this super-human crap. I want a regular case where we can identify the body and hunt down the bastard that killed ‘em. It would be nice to actually be able to solve something for once,” Steve bristled. “It makes the job easier when you know you can appease the families by solving the case.”

“Yeah, I get that.” John took a sip of his coffee and discarded the paper cup as they stepped off of the elevator. “Let’s just get down there and check it out, alright? Maybe it’s not as bad as we think.”

They were wrong to be optimistic.

In all his years of being a cop, John had never seen anything so disgusting and horrific. The flesh of the corpse looked to be burned from the inside, the outside discoloured and puffy. Large purple welts covered the victim’s entire body. His eyes were open and empty, but the lasting expression on his face was one of pure terror. 

“Do you think it was a chemical of some sorts?” Steve asked when he managed to find his voice again.

John shook his head. “I don’t know _what_ it is. But what I do know is that we need the forensic investigators on the scene. Right now.”

He crouched by the body, staring in pity at the former man. “What kind of bastard did this to you?” he whispered, eyes flicking over the grotesque form. 

From a safe distance away, a familiar female form watched on a rooftop. She smiled, the whites of her teeth glowing in the darkness of the night.

There was _much_ more fun to be had. 

She was far from being done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Sorry that the canon characters didn’t make an appearance yet. They will be introduced in the next chapter! Thank you for reading and please don’t forget to leave a comment telling me what you think so far. 
> 
> You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	2. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter finds out about last night's murder and blames himself for not being able to prevent it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. If you’re reading this then you survived the prologue! Kudos to you. I’m really excited to write this fic and I have a long plan written out so I hope it works out. :) I’m using a real university for Peter to attend graduate school, so just pretend it’s in Queens so we can move on with our lives.
> 
> Warnings: blood/gore

There was always _something_ going on in the streets of New York. Peter Parker chanted this mantra in his head as he swung through the streets as his alter-ego, Spider-Man. Being in graduate school meant that he couldn’t ever be late to class, but it, unfortunately, happened quite often. Though they shouldn’t have been, Peter’s professors were very forgiving, mainly because of the promising bright mind he showed in research and during office hours. The hero had been attempting to stop a small-scale robbery on his way to class, but he, of course, managed to make himself late when it took longer than he’d anticipated.

At 23 years old, Peter was probably one of the brightest minds that Cornell Tech had ever had at their university. A recent graduate of Empire State University, he was a double-major in particle physics and quantum mechanics with a minor in photographic journalism. When he told people, he often got a look of shock and admiration before changing to one of confusion. They couldn’t understand why his minor didn’t match up with his majors. 

The reasoning behind it was simple: Peter needed something that was more of a hobby and passion to enjoy between the grind of his challenging majors. He was fascinated with both topics but needed to give himself a break from their rigour. Peter managed to keep a part-time job as a photographer for the Daily Bugle as a type of stress relief from the busy work of being Spider-Man. Well, stress relief that paid. He was able to pay for his own apartment with the money, which was a good thing because then he didn’t have Aunt May breathing down his neck.

There were only two people who knew about Peter being Spider-Man: his best friend Ned whom he had graduated ESU with and Tony Stark. Peter wasn’t sure if Mr Stark had shared his identity with the rest of the Avengers, but he didn’t really care. Yes, he was young, but they were all like him. Motivated heroes with heavy pasts.

Peter’s reasoning for keeping his secret from Aunt May was pretty obvious. He couldn’t risk anything happening to her, and if she knew he was Spider-Man she could be potentially put in danger. Not only that, but she would be fretting over him 24/7 and try to deter him from completing his duties as a hero. He already had Mr Stark doing that a lot, he didn’t need her to as well.

For the most part, the older man kept to himself. He provided Peter with new suits, web-fluid, repairs, new technology, and upgrades. Occasionally he even offered some helpful advice. Occasionally. He had offered to pay Peter’s tuition in full, but Peter had declined. Tony was already helping him enough as it was, and Peter was covered mostly in scholarship money anyway. 

The one thing that the two never seemed to agree on was the footage from Peter’s suit. All of the suits Tony made for him were equipped with microscopic, built-in video cameras that were linked to Karen, his AI. When he was younger and first got the suit upgrade, Tony made Karen send him all the footage from his fights behind Peter’s back. When he found out, he had been furious, but as a teenager, there wasn’t much he could have done.

Now that he was an adult, Peter expected different treatment. He had declined the invitation to join the Avengers due to a number of different factors. For one thing, Peter thought the team was a mess. They all had so many issues that were creating tension between them. Another thing was that dealing with crazy invasions and monsters wasn’t Peter’s thing. Someone needed to look out for the “little guy” in his mind, the people that were patiently waiting for someone to help them. While the Avengers handled the large-scale problems, Peter was perfectly content cleaning up the streets of New York. And furthermore, joining the Avengers would make it harder to hide his secret from Aunt May. She still believed the whole internship lie that Mr Stark told her.

Though Peter had declined the invitation, that didn’t stop Tony from worrying about him. The video footage from his suit was how he made sure Peter was safe and would know if something happened to him, or so he claimed. But Peter wasn’t satisfied. It made him feel like a child. So without Tony’s knowledge, Peter hacked into the suit and swore to Karen that he’d disable her if she told Tony about it. He enabled the option to turn the cameras on manually with Karen’s help, so he could choose when and who they were sent to.

As Peter landed down near his campus parking lot, he let out a sigh of relief. He had a stressful week coming up and he’d been neglecting to get enough sleep. Changing out of his suit in an alley a block away, he made sure he looked presentable before heading to his first class.

*** * ***

_“And I want you home by no later than nine, do you understand? There’s some lunatic out there murdering people and I want you to be safe. Peter, are you listening?”_

Peter held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he fumbled around for his keys. “Yeah, yeah. I’m listening.” He finally succeeded in getting the door open and hurried inside, flicking on the light. “Wait, what’s this about a murderer?” 

_“Didn’t you hear? The police found a grotesque body last night. The poor thing looked like he’d been tortured,”_ May Parker sighed into the phone on the other line. _“They’re looking for the psycho that did it right now.”_

Peter’s mind whirled. Had he really been that distracted that he didn’t see or hear anything during his patrol the night before? Granted, it could have happened on the other side of the city, but he should have been able to hear it. 

“Do you know where it happened?” He had to ask.

_“I’m not sure, Petey. They probably have a story on it right now if you turn on the news. And I’m sure you can find information online about it. But what’s with the morbid fascination, Mr?”_

“Oh you know me, I enjoy looking at dead bodies,” Peter deadpanned. “I’m kidding, May. I’m just curious as to what happened, that’s all.”

_“Hm, alright. Just please get some rest. Okay?”_

“You got it, ma’am,” Peter said teasingly. “Goodnight.”

_“Night, honey. Remember to call tomorrow so I know you’re alive okay bye!”_

Peter rolled his eyes fondly as May hung up. Setting down his bag on the floor, he snatched the TV remote and flicked on the news. It was late in the evening, approaching nine, but he was hoping there would still be a story on it. He was in luck.

_“Police are still investigating the murder of Thomas Andrews, a 65-year-old social worker. It’s unclear what caused the death of Mr Andrews but the police have informed us that this is not a usual case. Mr Andrews’ body was discovered by a jogger on Holly Street late last night between eight and nine o’clock. More details can be found on our website.”_

Peter turned off the TV as the news went to report tomorrow’s weather. Swallowing thickly, he stared at the blank screen. If he was patrolling around the area the murder took place, he could have prevented the death of Thomas. With shaky hands, he reached into his bag to grab his laptop. 

Pulling up the story on Thomas was a mistake.

There were no pictures. Instead, there was a very detailed description of Thomas’ body that made Peter sick to his stomach. He’d seen a lot as Spider-Man, but this sounded absolutely gruesome. It could have been a combination of different chemicals that were somehow entered in Thomas’ body and harmed him from the inside, but somehow it seemed unlikely. On the other hand, he didn’t know of any drug to date that could cause those effects. Something nagged in the back of his mind that there was more to the story than that.

Trying not to throw up his dinner, he closed his computer and took a few deep breaths. He just needed some rest. Tomorrow he had to get some more photographs for Jameson and he had a class in the afternoon. 

As busy as Peter’s mind was with his plans for the following day, the only thing he could think about was the murder of Thomas Andrews.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I hope you enjoyed this next instalment. Don’t forget to leave some feedback to let me know how I’m doing. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/_needyynasa).


	3. Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the way in San Francisco, Eddie Brock receives a tempting proposition. Meanwhile, the mysterious killer in NYC plans to visit her next victim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I’m using this fic as a de-stressor for finals week. :) I’ve been really craving some slow burn action with this three-way ship lately. I read entire multiple chapter fics in an hour so I’m going through them quick. :( Maybe I can satisfy my hunger and yours with this one? 
> 
> P.s. I know nothing about how freelance reporting works, so I rely on Google and my own imagination. D: _That doesn’t mean I want corrections on my knowledge of this, I was just letting everyone know._
> 
> Warnings: some brief NSFW implications

_“Welcome back, miss.”_

The AI’s voice easily cut through the silence like a sharp blade. She stumbled across the laboratory floor, her body trembling. Every cell in her body felt like it was self-destructing. Her heart hammered against her ribcage desperately as if it was trying to escape her body. 

By some miracle, the exhausted woman managed to make it over to the chamber. Shoving open the door, she crawled across the floor as the door shut with a hiss. Dragging herself onto the table, she laid painfully on her back.

“Run diagnostics,” her strained voice whispered, as she squeezed her eyes shut. “Neurological damage, mutations, cell health.”

 _“Right away, miss.”_

The table below her light up a fluorescent blue as the system began running its course. Pained gasps left her body while the machine whizzed quietly around her. Though the sound would be soft to anyone else, it felt like a million flies were buzzing around inside her head. 

_“Cell health declining 12.3%. Neurological damage holding steady. Mutations rapidly increasing by 45%.” Should I run a temporary repair, miss?”_

“Yes,” she whispered, watching the ceiling blur as the computer began its temporary healing process. “How much time to I have left?”

 _“Data is unclear,”_ the AI responded. _“Should I try again?”_

“No. Continue the repair process.”

_“Right away, miss.”_

She paused. “Read me the next name on my list.”

_“Okay. The next name is Alexandria Wright.”_

*** * ***

If there was one thing that could describe Eddie Brock, it was intuitive. The blonde could just _feel_ when there was a story brewing in town. In the past, he’d enjoyed covering stories about problems in San Francisco, such as the rise of homelessness and the increase in taxes. That was back when he had the Brock Report. Now, things were different.

After defeating Riot and nearly losing Venom, Eddie had taken several months to collect his thoughts and heal after the events that had taken place. He cared for Venom during that time, making sure the symbiote was well-fed so they could regain their strength. The network had contacted Eddie to bring back the Brock Report, begging him to start with a piece on the bastard Carton Drake. Eddie politely declined, saying that he was turning over a new leaf. Freelance seemed like a good idea, so he started following stories and selling them to anyone that was willing to purchase. It paid surprisingly well for his line of work. As long as he and Venom had food to eat and a roof over their heads, they were both content.

Eddie had reached a point where he just felt at peace. He had Venom with him once more, healthy and thriving, to take care of him and help him whenever he needed in exchange for providing a host body. The two got along well, only getting into a few minor altercations here and there about stupid things. 

Annie and Dan had gotten engaged after the incident, and their wedding was to be in a year. Eddie thought the whole thing was a bit rushed, especially since he and Annie had been engaged before, but he supposed that seemed like a lifetime ago to her. She had moved on and was happy, so there was no reason for him to keep harping on the threads of their relationship. They were friends now, friends who could have been married. Friends who had had sex on more than one occasion. Friends. It wasn’t weird at all.

It was impossible for Eddie to keep Venom a secret from them both, especially when footage of “the Demon of San Francisco” begun to make an appearance. Eddie didn’t like to think of them as a hero, more of an anti-hero, but everyone else seemed to think of them as a monster. It hurt, it hurt a lot. He knew Venom was an apex predator, but they had changed. They weren’t a monster and they didn’t want to hurt any good people. Most of the time. They were still learning, of course, but they were trying their best. Eddie was grateful for that. 

He constantly assured Venom that they weren’t a monster, they were only trying to help. The symbiote seemed to have a thing for praise, so in between their usual playful banter Eddie would drop a few compliments or voice his approval at something Venom did. He could feel how pleased the symbiote was through their bond and took pride in knowing he had caused that feeling.

Venom was still getting used to being in Eddie’s body all the time. His body was complex and there was much to learn about it. Eddie had started with a basic anatomy lesson, but it was hard with Venom being able to see him from the inside. They would poke and prod around inside Eddie, asking many questions about his form. But they were smart and could see into his mind, so they were able to figure it out.

At first, some things had been off-limits to Venom. For one thing, Eddie didn’t want the symbiote to mess with the chemicals in his brain. He knew that sometimes Venom needed to alter some things in his body to regulate it, especially during times of panic or when adrenaline was high. When Annie and Dan had announced their engagement to Eddie, his heart had started to race so quickly that the symbiote panicked and nearly threw themselves around the organ.

Another thing that was off-limits during the first months of their recovery was Eddie’s . . . reproductive organs, or so the symbiote called them. This included parts of Eddie’s chest, namely his nipples, when Venom had accidentally discovered their sensitivity. Eddie had explained during a very long and painful conversation that certain areas on his body were sensitive and meant for specific purposes. Venom hadn’t understood the concept of pleasure at first, and Eddie certainly wasn’t eager to illustrate it. That left the alien to dig through Eddie’s memories to find an answer to all their questions. 

They saw he and Annie together, tangled in between the sheets, breathless and moaning shamelessly. They were confused as to why he and Annie weren’t trying to reproduce at first, and Eddie had explained that there were fine lines between human reproduction and sex. Reproducing made babies, he attempted to explain, while sex was purely for enjoyment. Of course, he also had to explain how sex could happen between anyone regardless of their genders, though some people don’t agree with it.

For a genderless being like Venom, this concept was difficult to comprehend. They didn’t see why the type of organs humans had defined them as people. Eddie chalked it up to the human race being an extremely strange species, and Venom instantly agreed. Humans were weird and sometimes dumb.

Another concept that was hard to explain was love in itself. Venom, though vaguely, had explained the concept of mating versus reproduction. Their species mated to show acts of dominance, while they reproduced to make more of their kind. Eddie had said that some humans had sex so they could feel dominant as well, but it wasn’t necessarily the same thing. They weren’t trying to prove who was more superior like Venom’s species.

 ** _“Eddie, we are one being now. Why do you keep certain things inside of you off-limits for me?”_** Venom had asked.

 _“It’s hard to explain, bud, but those types of things are usually meant to be private or are reserved for people who are in love,”_ Eddie had tried to explain.

 ** _“But I love you, Eddie,”_** the symbiote had argued.

 _“It’s not really the same thing.”_ Eddie wasn’t even sure if the symbiote fully understood the concept of love. He had shown them images of couples together, but he wasn’t sure Venom had grasped the idea yet. 

Thus, their relationship remained strange, yet functional. An alien symbiote living inside of a human body, co-existing together as one. They were closer than anyone else in Eddie’s life.

Eddie’s hands typed away at his keyboard, a blanket lay along his lap. Streams of the setting sun filtered through the curtains, creating patterns of light in the room. Venom was draped gently over Eddie’s shoulders like a scarf, his white eyes watching the computer screen with interest. Working was usually an “Eddie thing,” but there were some exceptions. One of which included Venom’s curiosity. 

The symbiote liked to watch Eddie write, and the blonde couldn’t figure out why. Perhaps it was Eddie’s way with words that fascinated the alien. Maybe it was the mystery of the stories he usually reported on. Or maybe it was even simpler, an alien watching a different species at work on a piece of unfamiliar equipment. Regardless, they remained silently watching, and if it wasn’t for the gentle warmth filling his upper body Eddie would have forgotten they were there entirely. 

Editing the article was a pain, and it was definitely his least favourite part of his work. His eyes carefully skimmed over the text. He was writing on a homeless village downtown that had seen a spike in the crime rate. He and Venom tried to do what they could to help the place behind the backs of the police, but footage had long since been exposed of the alien-human duo biting the heads off of criminals and crooks. The police were terrified of them and didn’t know how to act, so they weren’t a real threat. But it was still safer to try and stay out of sight as much as possible.

Eddie was trying to sell his story already. Though it wasn’t finished, he had notified several companies (most of which were news stations) that he was going to be ready to sell a story soon on the rise in violent crime in the homeless village. The old company he’d worked for before the whole incident with Drake had contacted him instantly, offering an impressive sum of money for the story. Almost two grand, to be exact. Eddie had declined politely, and they’d raised the amount to three grand. He told them rather professionally in an email that he still needed time to think about it, all things considered, and to look at other offers. 

As Eddie was preparing to log out of his computer for the night, something caught his eye. It was an email notification from an unknown contact. 

“Noemi Wiles,” he read allowed. “Um, who?”

Venom’s head rose in interest, and they tilted their head to the side as Eddie opened the pop-up to read the email.

_Mr Brock,_

_My name is Noemi Wiles and I am a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. I am interested in buying your story on the rise of violent crime in the homeless villain in the bay area. Seeing as you aren’t going to be continuing the story but merely sending it off, I would like to offer to continue it for you. Full credit for your bit would be given to you in any publication of the story. As for my offer, please tell me the amount of your current highest bidder and I promise to top it._

_I’m a huge fan of your work and, if this is of interest to you, I would like to propose a deal. There is a story that I’m interested in following, but due to a number of complications, I’m unable to gather all the information that would be needed to work on the story. If you would be willing to follow the story for me as long as you’d like and then send it off to me, I would give you five thousand dollars. If you’d like me to go higher on the offer, we can work something out._

_I’d like to arrange a meeting with you to discuss this proposition if you are indeed interested. Please contact me with your availability and we can find a time to meet up._

_Best,_  
_Noemi Wiles_  
_The San Francisco Chronicle_

**“Eddie, she is a real reporter!”** Venom exclaimed with interest. Reading was something that the symbiote was still working on, but they seemed to have the hang of it generally. Apparently, their sarcastic attitude didn’t need any adaptation. They’d definitely picked it up from Eddie.

“I’m a real reporter too, bud,” Eddie replied with a roll of his eyes. He knew Venom was only teasing. The alien loved being able to spend time with Eddie in the comfort of their home.

 **“Sure you are,”** they replied smugly.

“Alright, cut the sarcasm,” Eddie sighed. “What should I do about this? She’s offering me five thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money for one story!” He considered it for a moment. “That’s more than I’ve ever been offered before.”

The symbiote hummed softly. **“For a price like that, the story must either be dangerous or taxing,”** they pointed out, surprisingly helpful for once. **“I think you should meet with her. Saying you might be interested doesn’t mean you’re agreeing to it. Hear what she has to say.”**

“That’s a good idea,” Eddie replied, raising a brow. “I never thought I’d see the day where you gave helpful advice.”

**“Shut up, I’m always helpful. And right.”**

“Sure you are,” Eddie said dryly, but his tone was light. Venom was right about a lot, as it turned out. More than Eddie was willing to give them credit for.

He tried to ignore the long lick that Venom’s tongue gave to the side of his face, but heat travelled all the way from his cheeks to his collarbone. The alien’s laughter rumbled Eddie’s chest, and the blonde tried to type through his embarrassment.

_Miss Wiles,_

_First, please call me Eddie. Second, I appreciate you reaching out to me with both of your offers. I would like some time to think about the first if you don’t mind. As for the second, I’d like to hear more about it. Since I do freelance work now, my availability is scattered. I’m available this upcoming Thursday at any time in the afternoon. Let me know if this works for you._

_I look forward to hearing from you,_  
_Eddie Brock_

“Does that sound okay?” Eddie asked Venom.

 **“You don’t have a cool signature like she does,”** the symbiote pointed out.

“That’s because I don’t work directly for a company like her,” Eddie replied. “I’m just going to send it,” he said and received the equivalent of a shrug from Venom.

After sending off the email, the blonde turned off his computer and gently closed the lid. Standing up slowly as to not alarm the mass of black matter on his shoulders, he stretched and popped his joints. 

“What do you say we watch some Netflix before bed?” he offered the alien.

**“Will there be snacks?”**

“Always.”

**“Then yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea.”**

Eddie laughed as Venom sunk back underneath his skin once more. He headed to the kitchen to make something for the hungry alien living inside of him, but he was subconsciously thinking about Noemi’s story. What would it be about? What were the complications she was referring to? If it was a danger component that was no problem for him and Venom. But it could have been something else entirely.

He figured he’d just have to wait.

It turned out that Eddie didn’t have to wait long. After an hour and a half of binge-watching Netflix with his symbiote, Eddie’s phone pinged with a new message. He tiredly reached over to grab it, blinking rapidly at the bright screen in the darkness of his apartment. It was an email from Noemi.

_Eddie,_

_I’m glad to see that you’re one of those first-name-basis people. Also, I’m available this Thursday during my lunch break. Is noon at the at the Crossroads cafe alright with you? We have about an hour to discuss the story if that works for you._

_Can’t wait to hear from you,_  
_Noemi Wiles_  
_The San Francisco Chronicle_

Eddie’s fingers raced across the keyboard as he typed up a reply.

_Noemi,_

_Glad to hear that you’re available. I’ll see you on Thursday at noon._

_Best wishes,_  
_Eddie Brock_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. So Eddie was given a deal, what do you think of it? Please leave some positive feedback to let me know how I’m doing. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/_needyynasa).


	4. Onto the Next One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter attempts to investigate the murder of Thomas Andrews after a busy couple of weeks, but it appears that he might be too late to the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Double update because I love you guys. Thanks for sticking around this long! I really appreciate the feedback you guys have been leaving me so far. Don’t worry, our favourite duo will be meeting eventually. Please be patient with me because I don’t want to rush this plot. I wrote this at 1 am and thought everyone should know that. :D
> 
> Warnings: none

Peter’s investigation of the murder started later than he would have liked in the upcoming weeks. He had a lot to do and was unable to look into the case until late one Friday afternoon.

His day started with a cup of coffee at his favourite cafe, Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters. If it was one thing he could count on to make his day a little less shitty, it was that place. He was friendly with most of the baristas there, in particular, one he had graduated ESU with. Her name was Michelle, and they’d had a strange relationship in the past that bordered on the lines of friendship, friends-with-benefits, and downright enemies. Either way, they’d turned out as friends, and Peter even got to give her his own nickname. She had plenty for him that were less than pleasant, of course. He expected no less.

“Hey MJ,” Peter greeted the brunette as he approached the counter. 

“Hey, dipshit,” Michelle replied cheerfully. “The usual?”

“Michelle!” her manager, Sarah, scolded her from her left. “You can’t talk to customers that way, I’ve told you this a thousand times.”

“But he’s my friend,” Michelle argued.

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Fine. What can I get you today, you lovely paying customer?”

Peter didn’t even try to stifle his laughter. “I’ll have the usual, please.”

“Coming right up.” She hollered Peter’s order to the barista behind her who quickly began preparing it. As Peter paid, she casually asked, “So how’s Ned?”

Peter shrugged. “I haven’t spoken to him in a few days, but I’m sure he’s fine.” He regarded her with suspicion. “Why? What did you do?”

She cackled. “Oh come on, I didn’t do anything. I’m just curious. I know we’ve all been busy but I’m making an effort to stay in contact with you guys.” Peter thought he saw a flash of sadness across her features, but it was gone in an instant and replaced by confusion. “What’s that on your shoulder?”

Peter slowly looked down in confusion, vaguely aware that he was holding up the line. “What?” 

It turned out that Michelle was looking at a very small bruise from one of his fights the night before. It had been much, much bigger after he’d gotten it. The resulting mark was what was left to heal, which was rather impressive considering how nasty it had looked previously. But from this angle, it probably looked like—”

“Oh my God. Peter Parker, is that a hickey?!” she exclaimed loudly.

“Michelle!” Sarah scolded again. 

“Sorry ma’am,” she replied, even though her manager was barely a few years older than her. “This isn’t over, mister,” she said sternly to Peter. “You and your sex life are none of my business but—”

“Michelle!” Sarah exclaimed at the same time that Peter tried to defend himself by declaring, “It’s not a hickey!”

“Sure it isn’t,” Michelle winked. “Who knew a nerd like you would be getting some this late in life.”

“We’re the same age,” Peter pointed out. “And the only thing I’m getting right now is a cup of coffee. If you’ll excuse me.”

“You’ll also be getting the hell out of this line because there are people waiting,” she replied cheekily. “Love you, Pete, see you tomorrow!”

“Yeah whatever,” Peter said fondly with a roll of his eyes. He grabbed the warm cup of coffee and the bag with his bagel, tossing a smile over his shoulder in her direction as he left the counter. “See ya!”

After that, he had to research for three hours with one of his favourite professors and then he had to meet Mr Stark to discuss some possible design changes to his suit. But the day didn’t end there. He had work until nine. Finally, there was a patrol. Like he did every night. That’s when he finally had time to look into the murder of Thomas Andrews.

Normal crimes in the city that he didn’t directly intervene with were left to the police without issues. However, this particular one piqued Peter’s interest. It didn’t seem like this was an “average” murder. There was something larger afoot, he could just feel it.

Tony ended up showing Peter too many designs for him to keep up with. There were darker designs, ones that made Peter joke about his “emo” phase. There were heavy metal designs that looked similar to the suit Tony had “jokingly” offered him years ago when he declined the invitation to join the Avengers. Then there were suits that Peter was more interested in; breathable with cool gadgets and features. He told Tony that he needed more time to think about it after narrowing it down to a few. He agreed and sent Peter on his way.

Work was . . . work. It didn’t get interesting until fifteen minutes before he had to leave when Jameson called him into his office.

At first, Peter thought nothing of it. But when he saw the serious look on his boss’ face, he was flooded with worry.

“Am I being fired?” he blurted out without thinking first.

“What? God, no. Peter, you’re an adult that acts like a child. I swear. I didn’t call you in to fire you.”

“Then why did you call me in?” Peter asked, his mouth dry.

Jameson sighed, resting his elbows on the desk in front of him. “I’m sure that you’ve heard of the recent murder on Holly Street,” he began, and Peter’s heart dropped into his stomach. “I know I have you take photographs of Spider-Man a lot . . .”

“What’s going on?” Peter interrupted after a moment’s pause, becoming agitated with nerves.

“The police are asking questions. They think one of us may have the chance to get some photographic evidence that could help the case.”

“They think one of us took _pictures_ of the murder?” Peter asked in confusion, his voice laced with disgust.

“I don’t know, Parker! I have no clue what they think. All I know is that they’ve been snooping around in our office since it happened, and it would appease them if I told all the photographers here to check their unpublished shots for anything that might help the investigation now and in the future. I called you in because I know what a perfectionist you are. But I also know that you’re nosy as hell.” He leaned across the table. “Parker, if you ever find anything when taking those shots of Spider-Man . . . if you ever get close enough to ask questions or somehow find anything questionable in your shots, I want you to tell me straight away and we’ll take them to the station. Do I make myself clear? Don’t go snooping around trying to photograph any evidence, either. This is just a precaution. The Daily Globe’s been infiltrated as well,” he said with a wrinkle of his nose.

“How do you know?” Peter asked with a furrow of his brow to distract himself from his own racing thoughts.

“I have a mole. But that’s not important. Do you understand what I’m saying, Parker?”

“I think so,” Peter replied blithely in an attempt to not look so terrified or guilty.

“Good. Now get out of my sight.”

*** * ***

Truth be told, Peter didn’t understand a lot of what Jameson had said. He chalked it up to his boss just being old. Basically, don’t engage in dangerous attempts to find evidence, but if he found anything to report it. It was impossible to interview himself, though, so he’d have to claim that Spider-Man didn’t want to answer any of his questions. Little did they know, the hero was just as clueless as they were about the crime.

Peter skipped his usual nightly trip home since he was already behind schedule. That also meant that he skipped dinner, which meant that his only two meals that day were a bagel and coffee in the morning and a bag of chips in the afternoon. For someone like Peter, he needed to be eating double the amount of calories as an average person of his height and weight. But his mind was too preoccupied with other things.

After changing into his suit in an alleyway, the hero started his nightly patrol. The first thing he did was visit the murder site, which was still docked off with yellow crime scene tape. He didn’t expect to find much, so he wasn’t disappointed. The police had done a thorough sweep by checking for footprints, murder weapons, and other DNA fragments. Obviously, nothing had turned up as a clue, though. 

A quick investigation of the surrounding area proved that there were no quick escape routes. The nearest alleyway was a block away, and the buildings were too tall and dangerous to climb. The only way someone could get up is if they had the abilities that Peter did, and he considered that highly unlikely. There didn’t appear to be any cameras, but Peter did notice a small, run-down convenience store a ways away that might have some promising witnesses. He made a mental note to check it out the following day. Maybe he could use being Spider-Man to his advantage. If he tried asking people questions, he might be able to find witnesses that were keeping their lips sealed. 

Dejected at his lack of evidence, the hero prepared to return to his apartment. His train of thought was interrupted when his earpiece buzzed loudly from a call. Faltering mid-swing, Peter quickly landed on a rooftop and told Karen to answer the call.

_“Peter, thank God! I was so worried.”_

“May,” Peter greeted in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

_“You didn’t call me, and it’s past eleven. Where are you right now? Because I know you aren’t at home.”_

“I’m just taking a walk to clear my head. I was actually on my way home when you called. And for the record, I’m not a child anymore—” 

_“The police found another body,”_ May interrupted, and Peter stopped mid-sentence. 

“What?” he whispered. “W-Where?”

_“Somewhere downtown, I don’t remember where exactly. It’s already all over the news. That poor woman . . . I want you to get home right now, okay? It’s not safe!”_

“Do the police think the murders are connected?” Peter forced himself to ask. His tongue suddenly felt too heavy for his mouth.

_“I think so. Did you hear me, Peter? Get home now! And text me when you’re there so I know you’re alright.”_

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” He fumbled for his mask, slipping it on once more. Trying to ignore the panic in his chest and his racing heart, Peter paused the call and asked Karen to check local media for the location of the murder. “I have to go, Aunt May. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He hung up. 

_“Peter, I have the location of the crime,”_ Karen’s voice rang out.

Peter jumped into action, reloading his web-slingers and springing from the rooftop. It all depended on the time the murder had taken place, but if he had just been in the right area at the right time . . .

It was just another crime that he could have prevented. He needed to catch the culprit, and fast, before more people got hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Poor Peter, blaming himself for things he had no control over. :( Next chapter we’ll see what deal Noemi has for Eddie~! Please leave some feedback to let me know how I’m doing. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	5. Deals to Be Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Noemi discuss the case she wants him to follow for her. The problem is that it requires him to go to the very place he was run out of at the start of his career.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Yes, another update! I love how I told everyone that I’m going to be inactive during exam week but here I am keeping you well fed. Exams were still going on when I started this but they’re finished and now I have my long break! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thank you for all the sweet feedback on this so far.
> 
> Warnings: vague descriptions of violence/gore

The following Thursday, Eddie woke up bright and early. He wanted to actually look like he had his life together for once. 

**_Why are we having coffee now when we are meeting that woman for coffee later?_ **

Eddie shrugged. “Coffee helps me wake up in the morning. And remember, her name is Noemi.”

**_I wake you up in the morning. Also, I don’t care._ **

“Touche.” The blonde moved to grab his laptop, setting it up at the kitchen table. He needed to do some final editing before he met with Noemi.

**_Eddie, I’m bored. And Hungry._ **

Eddie sighed deeply. “Please behave for at least an hour and I’ll consider feeding us lunch twice today.”

He could just feel Venom perk up. **_Two lunches? Is that a promise?_**

Eddie shrugged. “We can’t eat like a pig in front of Noemi anyways. Don’t want to scare her off. So I don’t see why not.”

 ** _Fine,_** Venom agreed. **_But just for one hour._**

Well, Eddie supposed it was better than nothing. He did end up getting a lot done in that hour of Venom’s silence. He managed to finish the story, reply to a few email offers, shower, and get dressed. He did ask for Venom’s help with his outfit, though. The two ended up settling on a simple black shirt with a few buttons near the collar and Eddie’s favourite pair of jeans. He didn’t want to look like trash but he also didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard. It wasn’t technically a formal meeting but it was a business meeting nonetheless.

“Ready to go, love?” Eddie asked the symbiote once he grabbed his keys and wallet.

 ** _I was promised two lunches,_** Venom reminded him, as if he’d forgotten within the hour.

“I know, bud. Let’s get something to eat and drive around a bit. You like being on the bike, yeah? Then we’ll go meet Noemi.”

Venom purred in agreement, and Eddie took off.

*** * ***

“Now remember, this is a _me_ thing. Okay? I know you enjoy giving your input but I need you to please stay silent this time. We can discuss it together later. Do you understand?” Eddie whispered as he parked outside Crossroads cafe.

Venom gave a sigh of annoyance but begrudgingly agreed. Satisfied with that response, Eddie fluffed his hair and smoothed out the wrinkles in his top. Attempting to look well put together was harder than he thought. The symbiote snickered at the thought but thankfully remained silent. After fussing with his collar for a few minutes he finally gave up and headed inside.

The problem was, Eddie didn’t know who he was looking for. He took a seat towards the back of the cafe, near the windows. Pulling out his phone, he was just about to Google Noemi’s name when a feminine voice called out to him. Whirling around, Eddie’s brows shot into his hairline as he took in the woman before him.

“Eddie Brock, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Her voice was smooth and firm, but there was a certain gentleness to it. “Noemi Wiles, the San Francisco Chronicle.” She reached out to shake his hand.

Noemi was nearly taller than Eddie. She had beautiful dark-toned skin and eyes that were golden in the light from the window. Her features were sharp and defined. Her hair was straight and dark and barely brushed her shoulders. She was dressed professionally, in a business suit that reminded him painfully of Anne. An impressive diamond ring glistened on her left hand.

Eddie realised that he’d been staring for far too long. He could just _feel_ Venom laughing at him. “Noemi, it’s very nice to meet you.” He shook her hand. Her grip was strong and firm. “I don’t have an impressive titled. I’m just Eddie Brock, freelance reporter,” he joked.

To his relief, she laughed. Taking a seat across from him, she clasped her hands on the table. “I’m all for small talk, but unfortunately today I haven’t got the time. Shall we order some coffee and get right down to business?”

Eddie nodded, taking a seat once more. “Yeah, let’s.”

Once the barista had taken their order, Noemi pulled out a manila folder from seemingly nowhere. The crisp packet was placed open on the table in front of them, facing Eddie’s direction. 

“Here’s all the information I have on the case I wanted you to start for me. But first, I’d like to place an offer on the current story you’re selling,” Noemi said.

Eddie nodded. “My highest bidder is currently three thousand . . .”

Noemi raised a brow. “People love your work.”

Eddie laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “No . . . they just want my work back. It’s from a company I used to work for.”

“Ah, I see.” Noemi took a sip of her coffee. “Well, I can top that offer. Thirty-five hundred, but you have to take it before contacting the other agency. Is that fair?”

Eddie could already feel a cold sweat breaking out. The network had offered him nearly as much, but he never had the intention of taking it. That was a lot of money for one of his stories. “W-Well, yeah. That’s perfectly fair.”

“So do we have a deal on that bit?” 

“Um, yes,” Eddie chuckled awkwardly. This chick meant business, clearly. And she had the money to flaunt.

“Excellent. I’ll get the money in cash to you by this Saturday. Now,” she spread out the papers in front of him, “let’s discuss this next story.”

Eddie reached out for the files. “May I?”

“Of course! That is why I brought them, you know.”

He chuckled as he skimmed the information in front of him. The case she wanted him to handle was about a recent murder. But wait . . .

“This took place in New York?” 

Noemi nodded. “Right in NYC. Queens, to be exact. The victim, Thomas Andrews, was never reported missing. Police think he was ambushed on his way to . . . wherever he was going.”

“Ambushed kind of implies there was more than one perpetrator,” Eddie pointed out, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “This wasn’t a normal case.” He didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to see that.

Noemi graced him with a half-smile. “No, it wasn’t. I have a lot of sources based all over the states. The group I contacted in NYC got me this.” She handed him another folder.

Eddie flipped it open. “This is an autopsy report.” 

“A copy of one, yes.”

Was that even legal? He skimmed the description. Sixty-five-year-old Thomas Andrews was found on Holly Street in Queens, New York. A jogger had discovered him late at night during their run. It was assumed that he was on his way home. What didn’t add up was that a car had been found registered to him. He was found _outside_ of the car. Had he tried to run? Or had the killer dragged him out of the vehicle?

His eyes danced over _interior burns_ and _inner scarring_. It sounded like Thomas had been scarred from the inside out by something. “Was it chemical?” he asked, but a moment of further reading gave him his answer. There were no drugs or chemicals present in Thomas’ body. The report mentioned similarities to electrocution, but there was no way that someone could have electrocuted him from the inside out. And it didn’t match up with the resulting behaviour of his cells.

“That’s not all,” Noemi said softly. “They found another body. On Friday, two weeks after Thomas’ murder.” She shuffled some of the papers aside to expose the new information. 

The first file was a profile of the victim. Thirty-three-year-old Alexandria Wright was found dead in an abandoned parking lot near a gas station. Her cause of death appeared to be nearly the same as Thomas’. 

“So the two murders are undoubtedly connected,” Eddie started. “My question is, why do you want to investigate them? And I do have one more . . . you mentioned in one of your emails that there were some complications keeping you from following this story. I’d like to know what they are, if possible. If they’re personal I understand that you’d like to keep them to yourself.”

Noemi smiled. “Those are fair questions. Let me start with the reason I’ve been trying to follow this case. Since I was a little girl, I’ve had a fascination with the minds of serial killers. I want to know what makes them so twisted inside. The lack of remorse, the lack of hesitation, the broken minds. I’ve always wanted to know what makes them tick. What turns them into monsters?”

Eddie almost flinched at Noemi’s word choice. Weren’t he and Venom technically serial killers? Sure, they only killed “bad” people, but they’d definitely killed enough to be considered serial killers in a court of law. Serial killers aren’t classified by the type of people they kill.

Sensing his distress, Venom stirred within him. **_Eddie,_** the symbiote murmurred as they felt Eddie’s panic rising. 

Venom’s voice was enough to snap him out of his daze. “S-Sorry,” he stuttered, taking a few sips of coffee. His hands were trembling some. “Just had a thought. Anyways, please continue.”

Noemi studied his expression warily for a moment before continuing. “I could have chosen to become a criminology major in college, but it just didn’t feel right. I wanted to have choices. I wanted to be able to craft stories around the events that were taking place; to deliver important information and analyses. So that’s why I didn’t go that route.” She paused, only for a moment. “This case just _spoke_ to me. I saw an article online and I knew I had to read more about it. The more I find out the more I realise that this isn’t a typical crime. There’s something deeper going on. Call it a hunch if you will, but it’s truly what I feel.”

She took a sip of her coffee, sighing deeply. “In all honesty, I would have loved to travel to New York to follow the case. However, I just have too much going on here. The network doesn’t want me to stop working on my other stories while I’m following this one. And my boyfriend is worried that it isn’t safe to be asking questions about serial killers on the streets. And my mother . . . she’s ill, to say the least. I’d hate to travel until she’s better.” 

She leaned forward, a sudden spark in her eye. “But you, Eddie, you can’t be afraid of a case like this. You’ve handled dangerous things before. You started your career young and have been seemingly fearless ever since—not afraid to tackle tough problems or to get your hands dirty, and not afraid of a little danger. Am I right?”

She was. 

“That would be correct,” he said after a moment. “So what exactly would this deal ensue?”

“You would be following the story for me in New York. I would pay for travel costs and a place for you to stay. You’d just need to pay for food with your weekly stipend.”

“My _what_?” 

“I would be paying you weekly instead of one payment upfront. You know, like any other job. That way you can have some cash in your pocket while working on the story,” she replied without hesitation. “Anyways, you would need to keep me up to date with a monthly report on how everything’s going. We could video call during this time or if a phone call is more your style that would work as well.”

“So I have to follow and report on the story . . . in New York.”

“Yes, that would be correct,” Noemi said teasingly, throwing his former words back at him. “As I said, I’d be covering the expenses for you. We can discuss the monthly stipend later if you’d like.” She regarded his expression curiously. “Is there anything anchoring you here where you wouldn’t be able to travel? If so, I understand. But the move would only be temporary. I’d be renting you a flat in the heart of the city with an excellent view.”

Eddie’s mind was whirling. He hadn’t been to New York since the incident with the Daily Globe. He and Venom could take the risk as long as he kept a low profile. But he didn’t know how the symbiote would react to being on a plane and then there was the whole eating people thing . . . The _Avengers_ were in NYC. How were they supposed to get the phenethylamine Venom needed? There was only so much chocolate they could eat. Then there was the issue with Annie and Dan. How would they react? They were his only friends. 

“Noemi . . . I need some time to think about this. I hope you understand.”

She appeared unphased by his revelation. “Of course, that’s perfectly fine. I have given you a lot of information, after all.” She neatly placed the mess of papers in front of them in their respected folders and handed the pile to him. “Hang onto this until you make up your mind.”

Eddie was bewildered. “Y-You’re sure?”

She nodded. “I trust you. Reporter to reporter, right?” she winked. “Call me sometime next week and let me know what your decision is.” She paused and then rummaged around in her purse. Sliding a business card across the table, she gave him an encouraging smile. “Next week. Call me.” 

Eddie blinked at the card in front of him. “Uh, yeah. Definitely.” Placing it in his pocket, he watched her stand up. 

“This meeting was lovely, but I have to get back to work. Thank you for hearing me out and I look forward to finding out your decision.” She reached out to shake his hand.

“Of course, it was no problem at all.” He shook her hand. “I’ll talk to you next week.”

Nodding once, Noemi flashed him another dazzling smile before strutting away. Eddie listened to the click of her heels against the floor as they faded from the room. 

He had a _lot_ to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Another update will be on its way soon. <3 Please leave a comment to let me know how I’m doing. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	6. Nightmares and New Opportunities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is tormented by nightmares centred around the victims he was unable to save. Meanwhile, a promising opportunity is presented to him by one of his professors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. How are my spoiled little readers doing today? I really should get myself a beta but I just hate when other people edit my work. Decisions, decisions. 
> 
> Oh, a friendly reminder that I’m mixing elements from The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming. That means Peter’s background and family origin since I’m too broke to read the comics. Homecoming was vague in that department (so was Civil War) and Sony was more clear so I’m going off of what I’ve been presented. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.
> 
> Warnings: possibly triggering nightmare

_Spider-Man’s hands trembled as he stuck to the side of the building. Something was following him, he could feel it._

_The night was eerily silent. No sounds of honking horns, bustling cars, or calling birds could be heard. Trying to gather his wits, he waited._

_It was as if he was watching the dream through someone else’s eyes. It was him, he was Spider-Man, but he wasn’t in control of his body. He found himself staying in the shadows along the wall, trying to blend in with the brick. He knew the bright red suit would give him away, but he couldn’t make himself move. He was forced to watch._

_A man was walking to his car. He had his head down and a hood pulled over his hair. The sound of keys broke the oddly quiet night as he reached to unlock the door._

_He never got the chance to._

_Something whizzed through the night, a shadow, Peter realised. It knocked the man to the ground, pinning him there. More shadows came alive, holding the man’s flailing limbs against the concrete with ease. Despite his struggle, he was no match for them._

_Peter willed his body to help the man, but he stayed frozen against the brick. He watched helplessly as a cloaked figure stepped out of the darkness, a vial clutched in one hand. The figure poured the liquid down the man’s throat with ease, and Peter watched in horror as the man began to convulse._

_The figure turned, hissing in his direction. “What’s the matter, Spidey? Too busy enjoying the show to help out a fellow man?” The voice was gravelly and dark, and by no means human._

_Letting out a laugh that sounded like nails on a chalkboard, the figure vanished along with the shadows. Before he knew it, Peter was standing at the feet of the fallen man, unmasked._

_“Peter Parker,” the man hissed, latching a scarred hand onto his ankle. “You could have saved me!”_

_A groan was heard behind him, and he turned to find a woman staggering towards them. Her hood was pulled down and her soulless eyes gazed at him. She was grotesque, with scarred purple skin, but she looked familiar._

_“You could have saved us! This is all your fault,” the man below him moaned, sitting up robotically and yanking off his hood._

_The empty eyes of Thomas Andrews gazed back at him with vengeance._

*** * ***

Peter sat up with a gasp. His entire body was soaked in a cold sweat. Pushing himself over with his shaking arms, he noted the glowing numbers on his clock with displeasure. It was only three in the morning.

For the past few nights, he’d been having nightmares based on the two recent murders. His dreams never made much sense, considering they were based on what little information he knew about the case. The cloaked, demon-like figure that had a vial of mysterious chemicals was definitely far-fetched. It was about as far-fetched as the shadows of the night coming alive around him. 

He knew the dreams weren’t real, but they were terrifying nonetheless.

The second victim in his dream must have been Alexandria Wright, the most recent victim. The night of her murder, Peter had attempted to investigate as Spider-Man. But by the time he got there, her body was gone and everything on the scene that could have been used as evidence was taken by the police. Since he was exhausted and malnourished, the hero had headed back to his apartment. 

He still had a lot of investigating to do, of course. And he planned on using both of his college majors to help him. The photographic journalist aspect would be much more helpful in his current predicament. He was meant to tell stories with his photographs, and he intended to do so. Capturing the crime around the city seemed like a good start, that way he could ease himself into the murder cases. Jameson had said not to get himself into danger, but he didn’t know that Peter was more than capable of defending himself.

At least, he was sure he was.

Slowly climbing out of bed, Peter discarded his sweat-soaked clothes on the floor and headed to his bathroom. Hopping in the shower, he let his mind wander to his plans for the next few weeks as the warm water washed away the remnants of his nightmare. He needed to devise the perfect plan for investigating the case. 

His first goal was to visit the convenience store that was less than a block down the road from where Thomas was murdered. Going along the same route, he planned to investigate the gas station near where Alexandria was murdered. He needed to get as much information out of anyone there as possible. And to do that, he needed to be Spider-Man. 

There were a lot of things he didn’t have access to that he wished he did. Autopsy reports were definitely on that list. A mole in the police department was another. He also would have loved some help, someone to offer alternative ideas and possible solutions. He needed another person’s input. 

Though he was definitely out of luck with the first two, there were some possibilities for the last. Mr Stark instantly came to mind, but he shoved that idea aside. Tony had more interesting things to do than help Peter chase around a possible serial killer. He’d certainly think Peter was wasting his time and endangering his life unnecessarily, and should just leave the investigating to the police. 

Ned was another possible option, but he would hate to get his best friend into any danger. It had been a while since he had helped Peter with anything Spider-Man related, and Peter would have definitely liked to keep it that way. 

There was no way that Peter was involving May in everything, and Michelle as well. The two didn’t even know his secret identity. They would both react horribly if they found out and he would be placing them in danger.

He’d just have to work alone.

Thoughts of what Tony would say if he found out what Peter was doing brought up an interesting thought in his mind. Why _was_ he so interested in the two cases? Was it the brutality of the murders? Peter had fought supervillains before, so he couldn’t believe that that was a reason. 

Maybe it was because he wanted to protect everyone. He knew that wasn’t a realistic goal, there would always be _someone_ that he couldn’t save, but he couldn’t help but desperately long to save everyone. 

Maybe he didn’t want the past to repeat itself.

Brushing his hands through his wet hair, Peter allowed his mind to wander. He was losing weight, getting less sleep, and starting to worry the only family he still had contact with. He needed to pull himself together. Unless he found some promising leads to both cases after his investigations, he needed to back away from them for a while. If more bodies turned up, then he would really start to get involved.

More bodies were coming, of course, unbeknownst to the hero. And he, unfortunately, wouldn’t be able to stop it.

*** * ***

“Peter! There you are. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

Peter adjusted his safety glasses and smiled at Dr Mannuel. The petite woman bustled about the lab, trying to neaten it up for Peter’s arrival. She was young, in her late thirties, a recent hiree at the university. Peter enjoyed doing lab work with her because she was different than the other professors. She was addicted to knowledge and always wanted to learn more. She was also taking part in the type of research that most fascinated Peter; focusing on subatomic particles. 

“I’m sorry for the mess dear, you know how I am,” she chuckled as she handed him a pair of gloves.

“That’s quite alright, Doc. Thanks.” Peter took the gloves and snapped them on. “So what are we working on today?”

“Well, before we get started, there’s someone I’d like for you to meet.” Dr Mannuel smoothed out her lab coat. “A representative from Juniper Labs is stopping by to see our facility, and I told them what a bright young scientist you are. They want to meet you.”

“Juniper Labs?” Peter gaped. “And they want to meet _me_ of all people?”

Juniper Laboratories was a large research facility that specialised in everything one could think of. Their largest investments were currently in biotechnology and quantum research. It was every science major’s dream to intern at Juniper Labs one day.

Dr Mannuel beamed at him. “You’re an extremely bright student, Peter. You have a perfect GPA and are interested in research that most people your age would shy away from. I wouldn’t want the representative to meet anyone else.”

Peter shied away from the praise. “Um, thank you. Wow.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh, learn how to take a compliment,” she sighed. The door to the lab buzzed, and she jumped. “That must be the rep! I’ll go let them in. Oh dear, and the mess in here is atrocious today,” she tutted to herself as she hurried to the door. Swiping the card to open it, she greeted the newcomers with a professional smile. “You must be from Juniper Labs. Welcome, welcome. Please come in. I do ask that you don’t touch anything that we’re actively using in our current research.”

“Of course,” a soft, feminine voice spoke. 

A short, skinny Korean woman stepped into view. She looked even younger than Dr Mannuel. She was dressed professionally in a business suit that complemented her frame. Long, dark hair was neatly pushed back from her face by a simple headband. Almond-shaped brown eyes gazed upon the lab with interest. As soon as they fell on Peter, a sparkle shone in them.

“Ah, you must be Peter Parker.” As she stepped into the lab, two muscular men flanked her from either side. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Peter stumbled over, not sure if he should shake her hand. “It’s wonderful to meet you as well, ma’am.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she chuckled when she noticed Peter’s dilemma. “I understand that you both were working.” She gestured to the gloves on his hands. “My name is Quinn Lee, and I am an assistant to the lovely Miss Arielle Mantra. At Juniper Labs, we’re always looking for young, bright minds to join our team of excited scientists. Dr Mannuel was telling me all about your passion for research and learning. I understand that you are interested in particle physics?”

Peter nodded bashfully. “It was my major at ESU,” he explained. “We’ve been centring our research around subatomic particles recently.”

“That’s fascinating indeed,” Quinn nodded. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to give you my card and hear more about the research you’d like to focus on in the future.”

“I-I don’t mind at all,” Peter stuttered, rushing to accept the offer.

He ended up gushing to Quinn about his plans for the future for near to an hour. The young woman had reluctantly told Peter she had to go to an appointment but mentioned that he should give her a call to set up a meeting at a later date. 

He couldn’t believe the luck he’d suddenly found. An assistant to the CEO of the very lab he hoped to work for in the future had actually taken an interest in his research. He nearly started daydreaming about getting hired there in the coming years, but a taxi honked at him to hurry across the street and the spell was broken.

His first thought when he exited the lab was to call Aunt May and gush to her about the news. But a news pop-up on his phone told him that there was a major pile-up due to an accident on the Queensboro Bridge, so he realised he’d have to wait until later.

His duty as Spider-Man always came first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Thank you for reading! Don’t forget to drop some feedback so I know how I did. 
> 
> You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	7. Decisions, Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie has a lot to think about. He and Venom discuss their role in San Francisco and their possible involvement in Noemi’s case. Are they really a serial killer? And is Noemi’s case worth the risk?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I hope you’re all feeling well-fed. <3 This one’s a bit shorter because of the double-update. I hope you understand! 
> 
> Warnings: descriptions of violence/gore

**_Are we going to talk about it?_**

Venom’s voice stirred Eddie out of his exhausted haze. He shifted, pulling his blanket closer to him. He was lying on the couch with his laptop open on the coffee table. He had been looking through his story one last time before sending it to Noemi. 

“I know she gave us a lot of information, but can we talk about it when I’m less tired?”

Venom was displeased, he could feel it inside. **_Not the story, Eddie. How you panicked in the coffee shop when she mentioned serial killers._**

Eddie swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling more awake. He knew Venom could feel his increase in heart rate, but he hoped the symbiote would ignore it. “Oh, that? That was just me being dumb. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

 ** _What is a serial killer, Eddie? And why did you panic so much?_**

Eddie sighed, sitting up more and rubbing a hand over his face. “Serial killers are . . . murderers that have killed a lot of people. I don’t remember the exact number but I think it’s three or more . . . So we could potentially have a serial killer on our hands.”

 ** _And you think we might be one._**

Eddie’s face flushed. “W-What?”

Venom’s face emerged, connected by tendrils to Eddie’s back. Their head swivelled in front of Eddie, white eyes narrowing. **_“Do not lie to me, Eddie. I am inside of you. You cannot lie to me.”_**

Shame flooded their bond. “I’m sorry,” Eddie flinched, looking everywhere but Venom’s eyes. “I just . . . I know what we’re doing isn’t _bad_ , but everyone else doesn’t see it that way. The people we've killed have done some really terrible things, but all everyone one sees is a monster. And . . . and that hurts.”

Venom growled, long tongue coming out to lick Eddie’s cheek. **_“We are not bad, Eddie. We are good. You said it yourself.”_** They almost sounded distressed.

Eddie’s hand stroked the top of Venom's head. “I know, love. _I_ know we’re good. But everyone else doesn’t.”

 ** _“Well they are stupid humans if they don’t think so,”_** Venom concluded brashly. 

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” 

He wasn’t unhappy with what he and Venom were doing for the people of San Francisco. So why should it change? Good people had been dying, but now more bad people were dying instead. He’d just have to live with the disapproval of the law as he’d always been.

“Do you want to discuss Noemi’s deal since I’m more awake now?”

Venom wrapped around Eddie’s shoulders like a scarf, their head against his neck. **_“We can if you want.”_**

Eddie nodded, shifting into a more comfortable position. “So she gave us a lot of information. A _lot_.”

Venom hummed. **_“Eddie, are you mad at me for talking to you during the meeting?”_**

Eddie paused. “What?” He wracked his brain to try and remember what they were talking about. Was Venom referring to the small utter of his name during his moment of panic at the cafe? “Oh. Venom, I’m not mad. You barely said anything at all. I appreciate how quiet you were.” That sounded wrong to him. “I mean, I like when you talk to me,” he said quickly, “but I needed to think for myself for a while. So thank you.”

Venom purred, licking Eddie’s cheek once more. Eddie absentmindedly stroked the top of their head while he mulled over Noemi’s deal.

He found himself pulling out the folders Noemi had lent him. His fingers brushed over Alexandria’s autopsy report. She was so young . . . she had her whole life ahead of her. She was the same age as Eddie, for crying out loud. His weary eyes read the file in more detail, Venom’s watchful eyes looking over his shoulder.

`  
`

**FINAL DIAGNOSIS:**

``  


`I. Interial Burns`  
`II. Chemical Poisoning (Inconclusive)`  
`III. Cardiac Arrest`  
`IV. Electrocution (Inconclusive)`

` **TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES** `   
`blood drug screening - no drugs detected`  
`blood ethanol - 0.08`

` **CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION** `   
`Cause of death of thirty-three year old female appears to be induced cardiac arrest, possible by undetectable chemical poisoning or electrocution.`

`The body of thirty-three-year-old Alexandria Wright was discovered at 10:30 pm in an abandoned parking lot where a factory building had previously resided. She was discovered by a resident of Queens who had been gassing up her car at the gas station less than a block from where the body was found. The woman reported hearing screams and what sounded like someone, “begging for their life.” The victim was reported to be found lying in an “awkward position” next to a vehicle that turned out to be her own. Her skin was reported to be purple in colour with multiple welts. No blood or possible weapons were found on the scene.`

Eddie skipped over the rest of the long report in favour of doing a side-by-side comparison with Thomas’ autopsy. He ended up noticing something that he hadn’t during his meeting with Noemi.

`  
`

**FINAL DIAGNOSIS:**

``  


`I. Interial Burns`  
`II. Chemical Poisoning (Inconclusive)`  
`III. Cardiac Arrest`  
`IV. Electrocution (Inconclusive)`  
`V. Stab Wound`

` **TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES** `   
`blood drug screening - no drugs detected`  
`blood ethanol - 0.09`

` **CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION** `   
`Cause of death of sixty-five-year-old male appears to be induced cardiac arrest, possible by undetectable chemical poisoning, electrocution, and a stab wound in the chest.`

`The body of sixty-five-year-old Thomas Andrews was discovered at 8:45 pm by an alleyway on Holly Street in downtown Queens. He was discovered by a resident jogger. The man claimed that no suspicious activity had been occurring when he found the body. The victim was reported to be found leaning against a brick wall next to a vehicle that turned out to be his own. Her skin was reported to be purple in colour with multiple welts. A large incision similar to a stab wound was found on his chest. There was no trace of a weapon on the scene.`

“So Thomas was stabbed but Alexandria wasn’t? That seems strange. And yet . . . they both had similar autopsy reports. No chemicals were detected in either of them and the strange ‘electrocution’ diagnosis was made. I wonder if it’s possible for someone to be electrocuted from the inside out . . .” Eddie murmured. “But that doesn’t explain why Thomas was stabbed _and_ looked like he was electrocuted while Alexandria had no stab wounds.”

 **“How do they know it’s the same killer?”** Venom asked over his shoulder. 

“They don’t,” Eddie admitted. “But the autopsy reports were so similar that it’s impossible to disregard the possibility that they’re connected just yet.” He mulled this over. “If these murders are connected, the killer will most likely be striking again. And again after that.”

**“Eddie, do you think we could do a better job than the police?”**

Venom’s question caused Eddie to pause. “No one does a better job than the police,” Eddie started slowly, “it’s their job. They’ve been trained for things like this. But once and a while they need a little help.”

**“That’s where you come in?”**

“That’s where _we_ come in. I may be able to do the report section of this investigation, but I need your help with the dirtier stuff.”

Venom grinned. **“We like that idea.”**

“Of course you do,” Eddie laughed. “It sounds like you’re in favour of helping Noemi out, then.”

Venom hummed, black mass vibrating gently on Eddie’s shoulders. **“You aren’t worried about leaving Anne and Dan behind?”**

The symbiote knew that Eddie really was interested in writing about the cases, but there was the lingering fear in the back of his mind. He didn’t want to leave his friends. 

“I am worried,” Eddie admitted. “I’ll definitely have to call them and ask for their opinions, it’s just the polite thing to do. The move would only be temporary but after my last fallout in New York . . .” he trailed off.

 **“Things are different now, Eddie. You are better,”** Venom attempted to reassure him.

Eddie gave a half-smile. “I suppose,” he chuckled. “People are bound to recognise me, I’m sure, even though it’s been years.” He set the files down. “I think I’ll shoot Anne a text and ask if she and Dan want to meet for lunch tomorrow. That way I can ask for their opinions and show them some of the information that Noemi gave me. Not all of it, of course, some of it is still classified. She’s trusting me with this information,” he reminded himself.

**“You are tired, Eddie. Let’s go to bed.”**

Eddie sighed. “Alright, let me just pack these away.” 

After turning off his computer and putting the files in a safe place, Eddie climbed into bed. Venom slipped back inside of him, settling within his chest comfortably. The warmth and security the symbiote brought never failed to relax Eddie. Curling up on his side, he let his eyes drift shut. 

The next day would bring decisions to be made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Thank you for reading! Don’t forget to drop some feedback so I know how I did. 
> 
> You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	8. Detective Parker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man starts a proper investigation of the areas surrounding the two murders, but it’s more frustrating than he would have liked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Ugh, I’m so impatient to write Eddie and Peter’s introduction that I’m trying to speed everything along. Thank you all for your patience. After the next chapter things will finally begin to get exciting. ^-^
> 
>  
> 
> ~~I didn't actually edit this for plot errors I'm sorry I'm tired hahahaha.~~
> 
>  
> 
> Warnings: none (that I can think of)

The people of NYC appreciated Spider-Man, to say the least. Unfortunately, though the police shared in that appreciation, that didn’t mean that they were ready to be best friends with him. Being involved with the Avengers had definitely helped his case since it stopped the department from wanting to lock him up. But even after years of saving the city, there were still quite a few sceptics. 

That being said, there was no way Peter could get access to autopsy reports and security footage like he’d hoped. One thing he could do, however, was interview possible witnesses. 

It was a gloomy Saturday morning. The rain came down in large pellets, bouncing off the pavement. The occasional clap of thunder accompanied by a flash of lightning filled the sky. The busy city didn’t sleep during the storm, though, and neither could Spider-Man.

He hated web-slinging in the rain. Spandex dried quickly and didn’t get as wet as other fabrics, but the water always dampened his suit in all the wrong places. Tony was still working on Peter’s new suit, and apparently, one of the promising features was the ability for the material to repel water much better than his current one. He couldn’t wait to finally be able to try it out.

Crouching next to an old smokestack, Spider-Man observed the surrounding area. He was less than a block from Holly Street and just metres from the convenience store. 

“Karen, is there anyone inside the building?”

 _“Scanning now,”_ the AI responded. _“There are two individuals inside: a customer and an employee at the register.”_

“Thank you.” He leapt from the roof and swung into the parking lot of the store. 

After landing underneath the awning in a crouch, Spider-Man straightened up and casually strolled into the store. Karen was right as usual; there were only two people in the store. One was an elderly man working the register. The second was an older woman stocking her basket with canned goods. At Spider-Man’s entrance, they both gasped and stopped what they were doing. The woman dropped her basket in shock.

“Hello ma’am, hello sir. I’m sorry to startle you both, but I was hoping I could get your help with something.”

“Y-You’re Spider-Man,” the woman managed to say. 

“I’m guessing this isn’t an autograph signing,” the old man joked, but his expression and tone remained serious.

“Um, yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I have some questions and I thought this might be the best way to get answers . . .”

He wasn’t sure if either of them even appreciated what he was doing around the city. The older folks in New York tended to lean more towards scepticism, thinking that he was only doing what he did for some personal benefit. Fame obviously being one of them. Truth be told, Peter didn’t do any of it for fame or fortune. He couldn’t have cared less about those things. He wanted to help people. He hoped that the two had gotten that impression by him.

“You know,” the woman started, her basket of cans long forgotten, “I remember the days when the darkest crimes this city had were muggers in the middle of the night. Or some loony trying to rob a bank all alone with a single handgun. Now it’s gotten much darker.”

Spider-Man stepped forward, leaning against the wall opposite the man. He hesitantly nodded his agreement. “

“Tell us what we can help you with,” the man said. “My name’s Elijah.”

“And I’m Clarice,” the woman introduced herself.

“Thank you both,” the hero said gratefully. “I had some questions about a recent murder that took place down the street from here.”

Elijah hummed. “I’ve been running this place for decades, and I can honestly tell you that the most violent crime that occurred around the corner from here was some crook trying to steal a lady’s purse.”

“I can imagine,” Spider-Man said. “This area isn't very high in violent crime.”

“I imagine you know the worst spots in the city, and you’d be right in saying that this isn’t one of them.” After receiving a nod from the hero, he continued. “Well, the store was open around the time that the murder apparently took place. Unfortunately, though we weren’t very busy, I don’t remember seeing or hearing anything that could help you.”

“I was taking my puppy for a walk,” Clarice confessed. “We were a bit behind our usual schedule. But we went by the park, we weren’t anywhere around here.”

“I understand,” Spider-Man said with a sigh, trying not to let his frustration show in his voice. “This place isn’t very far from the crime scene, though. Are you positive you didn’t hear anything?” He directed the question at Elijah.

“Listen, kid, I may be old but my hearing is as sharp as a hawk’s. If I had heard something, I would have been out there in a split second trying to see what it was.” He tipped his hat at the hero. “You have my word on that.”

The web-slinger inclined his head. “I appreciate your honesty. Both of you,” he glanced at Clarice as well. Turning back to Elijah, he asked, “You have security cameras around here, right?”

Elijah snapped his fingers. “That’s what I was forgetting! Sure, you can go take a look. I’m assuming you’d like to since you asked.”

He walked around the counter and motioned for the hero to follow him. “I’ll be right with you, Clarice, just put your items by the register when you’re done shopping.”

Spider-Man followed Elijah into a room in the back of the store. Paint was peeling off the walls and cracks were present along the dusty floor. He was surprised to see that this was where the older man monitored the cameras.

“I’m sorry about the mess. This room seemed like the perfect option to hide our monitors,” he explained. “I usually have someone here to watch them for me, but Nancy needed the night off.”

“So you’re not the only person who works here?” The hero questioned.

Elijah shook his head. “No, I’m old! I need some help now and then. Nancy works nights. She’s a young thing, probably around your age. Laura, my wife, works during the day. The night of the crime I was the only one here.”

“Nancy requested off again?” Spider-Man questioned with a raised brow underneath his mask.

“She does that a lot. The poor thing gets sick so often. Her immunity is like that of an infant,” he snorted. “I don’t mind when she asks for nights off.”

“Ah, I see.” He walked forward, studying the monitors. The equipment wasn’t entirely high-tech, but it wasn’t as old as the dinosaurs like he’d been expecting. “Mind if I take a look?”

“Help yourself. I’m sure you’ve got more of a knack for technology than I do.” He stuck a thumb in the direction behind him, back towards the rest of the store. “I’m going to head back in there so I can check Clarice out. She’s a regular here and I hate to keep costumers waiting.”

“Of course, I’m sorry about that. I just have one more question, if you don’t mind. Did the police come in here to ask any questions?”

Elijah snorted. “No. I don’t know what’s up with the department, but it needs a lot of fresh faces if you ask me. It’s not like it used to be.”

“They didn’t come here _at all_?” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Wouldn’t the cops want to scope out the surrounding area?

“That’s why they need you, my boy. That’s why this city needs you.” He nodded once more at the hero before vanishing back into the store.

Spider-Man averted his attention back to the monitors in front of him. His frustration at the police could wait. He supposed it was a good thing that the police hadn’t checked there. It made them even in his eyes, since they had access to the autopsy reports and physical evidence. 

Figuring out how to rewind the footage was a piece of cake. Peter had always had a knack for technology. He used to take apart devices and put them back together just for the fun of it. Within no time, he had the footage from the night of Thomas’ murder pulled up on the screens.

The monitor was a single screen that was divided into four equal sections. Elijah had cameras on both sides of the store as well as the front and back. Spider-Man focused on the front camera since it was the one closest to where the crime had taken place.

He didn’t expect to get much from the footage. He re-winded it to a half an hour before the crime was reported. He didn’t know how long had passed between Thomas’ death and the jogger stumbling upon his body.

He estimated that Thomas’ cameras were no greater than 60 millimetres, meaning that the viewing range should have been about 35 metres. However, the store was almost a block from where the murder took place, meaning there was a difference of close to 100 metres. The view of the camera definitely wouldn’t stretch that far.

His hunch turned out to be correct. The only thing that the camera managed to capture was a flock of birds. Not a single soul walked within viewing range of the lens. Sighing in frustration, the hero ripped off his mask and ran his other hand through his hair. He could hear Elijah shuffling around in the store further away with his advanced hearing, so he didn’t have to worry about being seen unmasked. 

There were only two possible pieces of evidence in his investigation, and the store was supposed to be one of them. His only other option was to check out the gas station across that was right next to where the second murder was committed. If that turned out to be a failure as well, then he’d have to give up on the case. And that was the last thing he wanted.

Taking a deep breath, Peter attempted to control his racing thoughts. He often felt overwhelmed, but he actually felt helpless. He _hated_ that feeling. He knew that there were a lot of things that weren’t under his control, but he couldn’t handle being so in the dark about something that had the potential to be very, very dangerous. 

Maybe he was concerned that the killer might be more than just a human being with a twisted mind. Maybe after all the time fighting insane monsters, he was worried that every crime would have a vile creature behind it. He needed to relax. He was starting to get paranoid, and that would lead him nowhere in his investigation. Maybe he should have given up the case and moved onto smaller things like muggers in dark alleyways and bank robberies.

But he didn’t want to.

There was a sick, twisted part of him that actually _liked_ the challenge. It was like a puzzle for his brilliant mind; one that involved death and a psychopathic mastermind. Deep down inside, he realised that he enjoyed a challenge. 

For the first time in his life, a villain wasn’t making themselves appear and announcing their plans. It was almost as if they didn’t want anyone to know what they were doing. Most of the crooks he’d dealt with in the past had just the opposite intention. They wanted to be seen, they wanted to be heard. They wanted the name and face of their alter-ego plastered on every street post and electronic billboard. They wanted to be famous.

Not this time.

This time, they wanted to be hidden. They wanted to operate from the shadows, twisting through the alleyways of the busy city with hidden, malicious intent. 

_It was oddly thrilling._

Peter didn’t like the idea of people dying, no. He didn’t like it any more than the next sane person. What he liked was having to figure something out for once. He had a feeling that the adrenaline rush it gave him would soon turn sour, but he would deal with that when it came. For now, he had one more thing left to try. 

He was going to visit the gas station where the woman had reported Alexandria’s body. If that turned out to be a dead-end, so be it. 

He’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I was going to make this longer but in order to keep my chapter plans in place, I had to end it where I did. Pretty soon we’ll see Eddie’s move to NYC and maybe a clumsy meeting between him and our favourite we-slinger. ;) Oh, and how about getting a bit more personal with our villainess? All in good time, all in good time. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! Don’t forget to drop some feedback so I know how I did. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


	9. Heated Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in San Francisco, Eddie meets with Anne and Dan to discuss Noemi’s offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’m finally writing the chapter where Eddie makes up his damn mind! Let’s see how this goes. By the way, I alternate between Eddie referring to Anne as Anne and Annie. It’s cute.
> 
> Warnings: just some brief implications of past violence, nothing too severe

When Eddie finally parked his bike in front of the small fast food joint that he was to meet Anne and Dan at, it was nearly fifteen minutes past the time that they were supposed to meet up. He was ever the punctual one. After brushing a hand through his hair and straightening his worn leather jacket, he shoved his hands in his jean pockets and entered the restaurant.

The biggest problem with Anne and Dan was that, even though Eddie was a perfectly functioning man with an apartment and a steady job, they still gave him sympathetic looks as if he was less fortunate than most. Okay, so he technically _was_ given everything he’d gone through, but he was no longer unemployed or homeless. Things were better than they were months ago. The drama with Drake was in the past and he finally had time to focus on himself again. Well, himself and the alien living inside of him.

“Now, please behave,” Eddie whispered to Venom as he looked around for a table containing the couple. 

**_They already know I exist, Eddie._ **

“But the innocent customers in this place don’t. So please, I’m asking you to behave.”

**_Hm, fine. But only if we get seconds for lunch. And thirds._ **

“You’re going to drain my wallet dry,” Eddie said sourly, but there was a hidden fondness in his tone that caused the symbiote to purr.

He finally spotted his friends at a booth in the back of the joint. It was a very casual, 50’s-style American diner. He was grateful that the two hadn’t asked him to meet them somewhere fancier. 

No one had forgotten the lobster tank incident.

Shaking off the thought, he headed to the back booth where the two were waiting for him. He hoped he looked less like the unemployed, homeless man they remembered him to be months ago. It had been a while since they’d met up. Though he and Anne kept in touch via phone call (most of the time Dan was also on the line), it wasn’t quite the same as being able to meet in person. 

**_Stop worrying, you look fine._ **

Eddie smirked at that comment, shaking his head lightly. _Thanks, love,_ he directed the thought to the symbiote. “Hey, guys.” He approached the table with what he hoped was a sane smile.

The two paused whatever conversation they’d been having prior to his arrival and met his gaze. “Eddie!” Anne said pleasantly. “It’s nice to finally be able to see you.” She gave him a pointed look, but there was no malice.

“Eddie, hey.” Dan smiled politely. “Take a seat.”

Eddie sat down across from the two in the booth. “So . . . what have you guys been up to? It’s nice to see you after so long.”

“The same as the last time we saw you,” Anne answered. “Only I would say things are _finally_ back to normal.”

Eddie forced a smile and nodded. “Yeah, that’s definitely good.”

“What have you been up to, Eddie?” Dan asked politely. 

“I’ve been working freelance, as you know . . .” he started awkwardly.

“There’s something else,” Anne noted quickly. Having dated Eddie for so long, she knew when he was holding back from saying something. 

“Well, yes.” Eddie sighed. “You’ve always been able to read me like a book, Annie.”

No one even twitched at the comment. One thing that Eddie appreciated was he and Anne being able to casually mention their past relationship without upsetting each other. Well, at least, not anymore. And Dan was cool with it. Dan was always cool with it.

“What is it? You can always discuss anything with us,” Dan reassured with a smile.

 ** _He’s such a gem._**

_He really is._

Eddie politely returned the smile. “I know that. Which is why I wanted to ask for your opinions on something important. You see, I’ve recently been offered an amazing opportunity and I need some help making a decision and acting on it. I thought I’d be able to ask both of you, if that’s alright.”

“Of course, Eddie.” Anne leaned forward. “You can always come to us with these things.”

 _ **She’s still suspicious.**_

_Yeah, I know._

“I know, and I really appreciate that.” He took a breath. He didn’t even know _why_ he was hesitating. Maybe Noemi’s offer sounded too good to be true, now that he thought about it. 

“Eddie?” Anne prompted. 

“Sorry. So, about the offer. A woman contacted me from the San Francisco Chronicle. She was interested in buying a story of mine and ended up topping my previous network’s offer.”

“That’s great!” Dan said, but Anne was watching Eddie carefully.

“That’s amazing, Eddie. What else did she say?”

 _ **Anne should be a detective.**_

Eddie smiled at the thought. _She really should._

“Noemi did offer me something else, and we actually met on Thursday to discuss it in more detail.” He cleared his throat. “She wants me to follow a story. She’s offering a considerable amount of pay . . . and there are no strings attached. I follow the story until I don’t want to anymore, then she takes it over.”

“That’s incredible!” Dan said, taking a sip of his water. 

“Eddie, as much as I know people enjoy your work, that _can’t_ be all. What’s the contingency? What’s holding you back?” Anne asked sternly.

“The story she wants me to follow takes place in New York.” There was no reason in trying to hold it back any longer. He’d asked them for their opinions, after all. But he had a feeling he knew what their response would be. Well, at least Annie’s. 

“New York?!” Anne asked incredulously. “Eddie! Remember what happened last time you were there?”

Of course, he remembered, how could he forget? Everyone remembered. But it had been ages ago and he was hoping it had at least blown over.

“I know, I know. That’s why I was hesitating,” he admitted.

“That’s not all, Eddie. The _Avengers_ are there. _Spider-Man_ is there. If anyone catches wind of you and your little _friend_ rampaging around the city doing this vigilante thing, you’re toast!” 

It was no secret that Venom needed to eat. And they needed to eat something _alive_. Anne and Dan usually skirted around that particular topic, but sometimes it was inevitably brought up in a conversation. It was one of those times.

“No one would catch us,” Eddie stated calmly. “We’d be careful.” He was using the future tense to emphasize that he hadn’t made up his mind yet. “The Avengers can’t be bothered with petty things like this. They’re too busy handling cases of attempted world domination and other-worldly invasions.” 

“A giant alien running around biting people’s heads off sounds to me like something that would immediately catch their attention,” Anne bristled. “Besides, you know Spider-Man and his overwhelming sense of justice wouldn’t hesitate to try and take you down.”

“That kid? Annie, he’s just a _kid_. A kid swinging around the city in a tight, spandex suit with freakish abilities. He stops robbers from stealing old ladies’ purses for a living. He wouldn’t stand a chance even if he tried to go up against us.”

“He’s not a kid anymore, Eddie. You’ve seen footage of him. He looks stronger than he did years ago. He’s probably only a few years younger than you.”

“And that matters because . . .?” Eddie trialled off expectantly. “Look, I get that you’re concerned. But the reason I don’t take the opportunity shouldn’t depend on Tony Stark and spandex-loving spider boy.”

Dan had been suspiciously quiet. Anne turned to him. “What do YOU think?”

Dan looked back and forth between Anne and Eddie. Anyone could see the tension there. Swallowing thickly, Dan attempted to be reasonable. “Well, it does sound like an amazing opportunity. I assume you’ll be receiving housing and a stipend?” he inquired, directing the question at Eddie.

“Yes. She’s paying for any travel costs as well.” He looked pointedly in Anne’s direction, as if he was changing her mind.

“I don’t see what the issue is, then. Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter, Eddie, because you’re not working for the Daily Globe anymore. You’d be working for this woman. Though I have to ask, why doesn’t she follow the story herself?”

Eddie hesitated. “There are multiple complications. They’re not important, though. She checked out.”

“It’s dangerous, isn’t it?” Anne interrupted with a knowing glance. “It sounds amazing, but it’s too good to be true. Does it involve crime? Murder, rape, homelessness, poverty . . . What’s the topic of the story, Eddie? Why haven’t you told us yet?”

She was good. Sighing, Eddie pulled out his phone. He could only show them some basic notes he had so far, he couldn’t give away all the details of the case that Noemi had given him. 

“Here. This is the gist of it.” He handed the phone to Annie first.

Anne’s eyes rapidly skimmed over the electronic pages. He could see the wheels turning in her brain.

“Eddie, this is about a serial killer. You’d be following a case on a serial killer.”

“A _possible_ serial killer,” Eddie said, as if that helped.

“It doesn’t matter! What if you become one of their next victims? It sounds extremely dangerous. She’s out of her mind!”

“I have Venom, remember? I’m not just some normal guy,” he reminded his hysterical ex. “Venom would eat anyone that dared to lay a finger on me in a negative way.”

 **“He’s right.”** Venom had materialised as a small blob from Eddie’s back, coiling around his shoulders like a scarf.

“Someone could see you,” Eddie pointed out.

**“They won’t.”**

“You seem very sure of that,” Eddie said somewhat dryly.

“As if Venom eating people is going to solve all of this.” Anne waved her hand in emphasis, seemingly not caring that Venom had made themselves visible.

Dan looked a little uncomfortable, but tried to cover it up by taking another sip of water.

“So you don’t think I should take the job,” Eddie concluded softly.

Anne sighed, burying her face in her hands momentarily. When she lifted her head once more, she looked exhausted. 

“I don’t know, Eddie. It sounds like a great opportunity if you’re looking to possibly get killed. I know you’re a thrill-seeker and everything with the introduction of your new alien roommate, but this is over the top. Please leave the investigating to the police.”

The look in her eyes was enough to physically hurt him. He could hear the pleading tone of her voice. However, his thoughts were elsewhere. If he followed the story, he and Venom would be living comfortably for quite a while. Plus, if he did have a run-in with the spider guy or any of the Avengers, it would make a fantastic story. Who knew, maybe Noemi would even buy it.

He was fantasizing. Shaking his head, he brought himself back to reality. He hoped Venom hadn’t picked up on his wandering thoughts. The alien had gone silent once more, shrinking back into Eddie’s skin sometime during his argument with Anne.

“This is what I do, Annie. It’s what I love to do. I promise I’ll be careful. I know I said I wanted both of your opinions, and trust me when I say I truly value them, but ultimately I have to do what I think is best for Venom and me.”

“He’s right,” Dan mused over the rim of his glass. 

Anne shot him a look reflexively, but it instantly softened when she mulled over Eddie’s words. The worry lines didn’t lessen from her face, but at least she no longer looked like she wanted to stab him.

“Okay,” she said finally, “if this is really what you want.” She smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m— _we’re_ —going to miss you. A lot.”

Oh. _Oh._ It never really was about the danger. Maybe that was part of it, but there was something else.

She’d been missing him.

Though it was Anne that had ultimately ended their relationship so many months ago, that didn’t change the fact that it obviously still affected her just as much as it did Eddie. She’d move on, yes, but it was hard to stop seeing someone who you had been that close to. They were going to get _married_. Eddie supposed that Anne felt somewhat better after the whole Riot incident because it had somehow given them some closure in their relationship. But that didn’t change the fact that he was nearly MIA in the following months and it probably scared her much more than she was willing to admit.

Immediately after the thought struck him, he gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll call you guys constantly to update you on my progress. It will be like I never left.”

Truth be told, Eddie had only really been communicating with them that way anyways. The only difference would be that he would be doing it from a different city instead of from his current apartment.

“Okay,” she agreed after a moment’s pause. “It is a great opportunity, Eddie. And I’m—I’m really happy for you. I’m proud of you.”

Eddie beamed. Inside, Venom was glowing.

“I’m proud of you too, buddy,” Dan said with a kind smile.

God bless Dan.

Eddie thanked them both. “I really appreciate you talking to me about this, even if it did involve some arguing. Now let’s order before Venom has my liver as a snack.”

“I mean theoretically, as long as he monitored—” Dan started, but Eddie cut him off.

“Are you seriously giving him _permission_ to eat one of my vital organs?” Eddie asked incredulously. He knew Dan was a doctor and all, but _damn_.

“Not permission, I was just saying what would happen scientifically-speaking.” Dan shrugged as if it were a casual conversation.

“Yeah, well I’m the owner of this body and I _do not_ approve.”

“Okay kids,” Anne interrupted, “it’s time to order. Venom, I know you can hear me, don’t eat any of Eddie’s organs. Regardless of what Dan says.” She swatted at Dan’s arm.

_**What was Dan going to say?** _

_It doesn’t matter because it’s not happening._

_**Fine. But remember that I was promised seconds. And thirds.** _

Eddie rolled his eyes. Greedy alien.

*** * ***

“Now Venom,” Eddie started what would hopefully be a serious conversation. “We need to have a talk if I’m really going to accept Noemi’s offer.”

Venom emerged from tendrils connected to Eddie’s chest, his head turning to face his host. 

**“Why?”** the alien asked cautiously.

Eddie sighed. “Well, there are multiple things we need to go over. First and foremost, I’m going to need to fly to get to New York. The sound of the plane last time was enough to injure you,” he reminded the symbiote. “It’s not as loud from the inside but the takeoff and landing definitely aren’t quiet. We’ll need to devise a plan in order to make that work.”

He patted Venom’s head reassuringly and continued. “Next, we’d need to make a schedule. We can’t go around eating people like we do here, there are too many risks. The Avengers are there, for one thing, and so is that spider kid. We can’t risk being caught by either of them, though I doubt the kid could really do any harm to us. Nevertheless, we’d only be able to eat when you have a severe craving.”

He remembered something Dan had told him and decided it would be a good time to tell Venom. “Dan says that he thinks the chemical you need to surpass your cravings is phenethylamine. It’s a chemical found in the brain, which is probably why you prefer to bite the heads off of the criminals mainly. This chemical can also be found in chocolate, which is why you like that so much as well.”

 **“So?”** Venom prompted impatiently.

“In conclusion, we’ll try to eat more chocolate until it’s absolutely inevitable that you need to eat a brain or two. As long as you do most of the chocolate eating so I don’t gain weight,” he said with some vague amusement.

 **“Deal,”** the alien agreed. **“Anything else?”**

Eddie considered this. “Maybe later. Right now, I’m tired.”

Venom gave Eddie’s cheek a fond lick before slinking back underneath his skin.

The blonde was excited that he had finally come to a definite decision. He pulled his laptop on his lap to send one final email before bed. He had to contact Noemi, after all, to let her know that he’d finally made up his mind.

He was going to New York City.

Hopefully, he wouldn’t regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to drop some feedback so I know how I did. You can find me on my [Tumblr](https://xxsincerelymiaxx.tumblr.com). If you're unable to message me there, please DM me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/needyynasa).


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